MACHESNEY PARK — Freeport’s Jaylen Robinson doesn’t care who he’s going up against as the boys track and field postseason approaches.

“The better the competition, the better I do, so I don’t care,” said Robinson, after winning the 400-meter run with a time of 50.72 during Friday’s Northern Illinois Invitational. “The next couple of weeks are when it really counts and you want to be ready for it right now. I’m close.”

Robinson backed off and strolled in for the 400 win, and later placed fourth in the strong 200 (23.38) field. His teammate B.J. Smith placed second in the 800 run (1:59.94) and third in the 1,600 run (4:36.0).

“These guys have adapted to the weather, and kept training,” Freeport coach Alan Greene said. “It was good to get them out against some really tough competition like this, and kind of see what they’ve got.”

Miseal Sanchez took sixth in the pole vault (11-0), while senior Xavier Rials placed seventh in the discus (118-10) and freshman David Rials wound up seventh in the 110 high hurdles (17.02). The Pretzels finished eighth out of 10 teams in the invite with 29 total points.

But as for Robinson, he’s got his sights set on a strong finish to his senior year.

“I’ve been doing this for four years, and there’s no way I’m letting up now,” Robinson said. “I have something to prove, from here on out.”

The Pretzels kick off the postseason at next Friday’s NIC-10 meet at Auburn.